This year’s national Nutrition Week to focus on raising awareness of the importance of portion control

Statistics have indicated that the increasing numbers of South Africans are overweight or obese.

With the problem at its worst among adult women and preschool children.

Over 40% of adult women are classified as obese and as a result obesity in adult women has increased in the last decade from 27.5% to 40%.

According to Ms Lynn Moeng, Chief-Director of Health Promotion and Nutrition at the Department of Health, added that in the age group two to five years, 18.9% of girls and 17.5% of boys are classified as overweight.

She said over the past decade, the prevalence of overweight preschool boys and girls has risen sharply from 10.6% to 18.2%, which Moeng cited as an issue that cannot be ignored.

“People are eating too much and they’re eating the wrong foods. By educating them about portion size and choices, we aim to change attitudes and habits so that people ‘downsize’ and reduce their health risk,”she added.

This year’s national nutrition week will run from October 9 to 15.

Research also shows that the rise in obesity rates have been paralleled by increases in the portion sizes of many foods and the prevalence of eating away from home.

“Eating patterns are likely responsible for an increase in unhealthy weight-gain of the South African population,” said Ms Yolandé van der Riet from the Food Safety Initiative (FSI) division at the CGCSA.

She added that people are eating out more and they are eating more energy-dense, processed foods which are high in sugar, fat and salt.

“During National Nutrition Week 2013, communications will be aimed at providing the community with practical ways to help them eat less such as using smaller plates, bowls and utensils, repackaging snack foods into individual-sized portions, not eating in front of the television and encouraging children to take a lunchbox containing healthy snacks to school,” said Moeng.